Structural Engineer (Bridges & Civil Infrastructure) | Associate Principal

01 Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 116,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

401(k) matching

Educational assistance

Time off for personal and professional

Job summary

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) seeks a senior-level Structural Engineer (Associate Principal) to lead bridge investigations, diagnostics, design, and rehabilitation across existing structures.

You will work with clients, contractors, and consultants while guiding a team of associates and drawing on mentorship from senior leaders. This employee-owner role offers autonomy to shape your career, opportunities to pursue client leads, and access to WJE's state-of-the-art laboratory and

Qualifications

• Licensed PE in Texas or able to obtain by comity; SE licensure a plus.
• Master's degree or PhD in civil/structural engineering; significant relevant expertise may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant structural engineering industry experience, including technical and project management, with projects including structural analysis and design for repair, retrofit, and rehabilitation of existing bridge structures and/or other civil infrastructure.
• Demonstrated business development and client relationship skills
• Established regional network, including experience collaborating with state departments of transportation, e.g., TxDOT
• Excellent technical, graphical, written, and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Project management, including client development, project scoping, assembling and managing project teams, maintaining project schedules, budgets, and financials, and managing client expectations and deliverables
• Technical leadership, including applying sound engineering judgment and a deep understanding of governing codes, design guidelines, and industry practices; collaborating with interdisciplinary project teams across WJE as the structural/bridge engineering subject‑matter expert (SME); leveraging your expertise for a variety of structural engineering projects, including the investigation, design, analysis, repair, and renovation of new and existing bridges and other complex civil structures, construction materials, loading conditions, and construction types; preparing technically excellent client deliverables; providing high‑quality reviews and oversight of work by others; and performing and training others in hands‑on fieldwork
• Mentorship, including exemplifying WJE's culture of shared destiny and knowledge sharing to better the team around you: locally and company‑wide, formally and informally, on‑and‑off projects, for technical topics and overall career development
• Contributions to WJE’s Civil Infrastructure practice and company‑wide objectives, including proactively fostering new and existing client relationships in pursuit of project work you are excited about; engaging the next generation of WJE professionals; collaborating with practice leaders on knowledge‑sharing and training initiatives; and participating in industry organisations, conferences, and technical committees

Skills

PE license (Texas)

Business development

Client relationship skills

Mentorship

Leadership

Education

Master's degree in civil/structural engineering

PhD in civil/structural engineering

Job description

WJE's Texas offices (Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio) comprise a central hub for our Bridge and Civil Infrastructure (CI) practice.

Bring your problem‑solving mindset, ownership mentality, and deep technical expertise to a team that is genuinely excited about their work and invested in each other's success.

We are seeking a senior‑level Structural Engineer (Associate Principal) to be an integral part of our Bridge practice, with the opportunity to solve problems related to other complex CI structures.

This is a doer‑manager‑advisor role.

You’ll lead structural investigations, diagnostics, design, and rehabilitation projects across existing bridges and other critical infrastructure, working directly with clients, contractors, and other consultants.

You’ll have a sharp team of associates supporting you and direct access to mentorship from industry‑recognised senior leaders across the company.

Your work will support WJE's established clients while also pursuing client relationships and project leads from your existing professional network.

As an employee‑owner at WJE, you will have the autonomy to shape your career while mentoring the next generation of structural and bridge engineers.

You will be supported by an organisation offering industry‑leading benefits, dedicated administrative resources, a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment, and access to WJE's collective expertise and state‑of‑the‑art laboratory and testing capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Project management, including client development, project scoping, assembling and managing project teams, maintaining project schedules, budgets, and financials, and managing client expectations and deliverables
• Technical leadership, including applying sound engineering judgment and a deep understanding of governing codes, design guidelines, and industry practices; collaborating with interdisciplinary project teams across WJE as the structural/bridge engineering subject‑matter expert (SME); leveraging your expertise for a variety of structural engineering projects, including the investigation, design, analysis, repair, and renovation of new and existing bridges and other complex civil structures, construction materials, loading conditions, and construction types; preparing technically excellent client deliverables; providing high‑quality reviews and oversight of work by others; and performing and training others in hands‑on fieldwork
• Mentorship, including exemplifying WJE's culture of shared destiny and knowledge sharing to better the team around you: locally and company‑wide, formally and informally, on‑and‑off projects, for technical topics and overall career development
• Contributions to WJE’s Civil Infrastructure practice and company‑wide objectives, including proactively fostering new and existing client relationships in pursuit of project work you are excited about; engaging the next generation of WJE professionals; collaborating with practice leaders on knowledge‑sharing and training initiatives; and participating in industry organisations, conferences, and technical committees

Qualifications

• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Texas or ability to obtain by comity; SE licensure a plus
• Master's degree or PhD in civil/structural engineering or related field; significant relevant expertise will be considered in lieu of an advanced degree
• Minimum 15 years of relevant structural engineering industry experience, including technical and project management, with projects including structural analysis and design for repair, retrofit, and rehabilitation of existing bridge structures and/or other civil infrastructure), new design, failure/damage investigation, and general asset condition assessments. The minimum years of experience may be flexible for candidates who can clearly demonstrate that they are already performing at or above the level of responsibility expected for this position.
• Demonstrated business development and client relationship skills
• Established regional network, including experience collaborating with state departments of transportation, e.g., TxDOT
• Excellent technical, graphical, written, and verbal communication skills

Preferred Certifications

• National Highway Institute (NHI) Safety Inspection of In‑Service Bridges (FHWA‑NHI‑130055 or FHWA‑NHI‑130056) and Bridge Inspection Techniques for Nonredundant Steel Tension Members or previous version (FHWA‑NHI‑130078) Precertification in Bridge Design with state department(s) of transportation, e.g., TxDOT

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel and attend meetings at various office, field, and construction sites
• Ability to perform inspections of buildings and other structures, both visually and with instruments
• Ability to safely work at heights, in confined spaces, and in a variety of occupationally hazardous locations, including outdoors with exposure to temperature extremes
• Ability to safely use and/or operate ladders, scaffolds, lifts, and other access equipment
• Ability to lift and carry materials, tools, and other heavy equipment up to 50 lbs
• Medically fit to utilise respiratory protection devices and other forms of Personal Protective Equipment
• Ability to drive and safely operate a motor vehicle

Culture, Compensation, and Benefits

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) is a global firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists. Clients worldwide seek our expertise to solve the most significant, interesting, and challenging problems in the built world. Our applied experience from more than 200,000 projects combined with unparalleled laboratory and testing capabilities have made WJE a leader in providing innovative yet practical solutions to the clients we serve. Working at WJE is a team endeavour characterised by a culture of trust and personal responsibility. We encourage open communication, continuous learning, innovative thinking, ongoing mentoring, and free‑flowing collaboration. We seek highly talented and hard‑working individuals who want to be challenged, who want hands‑on work, who want to set a higher standard, and who want to be mentored by the industry’s most accomplished experts. People with outstanding Character, unwavering Commitment to our core and culture, strong Expertise, and genuine Enthusiasm for their work.

Learn more about the Extraordinary People we hire at WJE at www.wje.com/careers

WJE offers a robust, total compensation structure composed of base salary, incentive pay, and industry‑leading benefits: Base salary is determined through consideration of a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role while remaining mindful of our commitment to internal equity. Employees receive variable compensation based on personal and company performance, typically resulting in above‑market total compensation.

A good faith estimate of the annual starting base salary (gross) is in the following range: $115,650.00 - $192,750.00

WJE’s industry‑leading, total rewards package enables our employees to grow and thrive with comprehensive health and financial benefits, including:

Benefits

• Robust and affordable health plans for employees and their families, including HSA as well as low and high‑deductible PPO options
• Generous 401(k) matching of 110% for the first 6% of eligible pay, vesting immediately
• Time off to care for yourself and others
• Investments in employees’ educational assistance and professional development

Learn more about WJE’s total rewards package here.

Equal Opportunity

WJE is an Equal Opportunity Employer as to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

WJE will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of Fair Chance Ordinances.

Company Overview

Founded in 1956, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) is an interdisciplinary firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists committed to helping clients solve, repair, and avoid problems in the built world. Supported by unparalleled laboratory and field‑testing capabilities, our experts draw on more than seventy years of experience to deliver innovative and practical solutions grounded in deep technical expertise.